Basketball has produced some of the richest sports writing anywhere, from sprawling histories of the NBA to intimate looks at its greatest minds. These six basketball books are the must-reads, whether you want the definitive Jordan biography, Kobe on his own craft, or a fan's opinionated tour of the whole league. Cue them up before the next tip-off.
Quick picks:
- Best for fans: The Book of Basketball by Bill Simmons. View on Amazon
- Best biography: Michael Jordan: The Life by Roland Lazenby. View on Amazon
- Best gift: The Mamba Mentality by Kobe Bryant. View on Amazon
The legends
Michael Jordan: The Life by Roland Lazenby
Roland Lazenby is a veteran basketball biographer. The most comprehensive biography of the greatest basketball player ever, tracing the drive behind the legend. Exhaustive and revealing.
Best for: The definitive MJ biography.
→ View on AmazonThe Mamba Mentality by Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant is an NBA legend. Kobe Bryant's beautifully produced reflection on his craft and mindset. A giftable book for any basketball fan.
Best for: Kobe on his craft.
→ View on AmazonRelentless by Tim Grover
Tim Grover is the trainer to basketball's greats. Tim Grover's intense guide to the mindset of unstoppable performers, drawn from training Jordan and Kobe. Blunt and motivating.
Best for: The elite performer's mindset.
→ View on AmazonThe game and its coaches
The Book of Basketball by Bill Simmons
Bill Simmons is a hugely popular sportswriter. Bill Simmons's sprawling, opinionated, endlessly fun history and ranking of the NBA. Basketball obsession in book form.
Best for: The NBA fan's bible.
→ View on AmazonA Season on the Brink by John Feinstein
John Feinstein is a bestselling sports journalist. An unprecedented year inside Bob Knight's Indiana basketball program. A riveting, uncomfortable look at a driven coach.
Best for: Inside a coach's mind.
→ View on AmazonWooden by John Wooden, Steve Jamison
John Wooden is the greatest college basketball coach ever. John Wooden's distilled wisdom on coaching, leadership and life. Short, profound and endlessly giftable.
Best for: Timeless coaching wisdom.
→ View on AmazonHow we chose these
We looked for the sports books that last: player memoirs with something real to say, credentialed sports scientists and psychologists and the acclaimed journalists and historians who turn a game into a story. A few iconic novels earn a place too and we label them as fiction. We describe and compare these books to help you choose your next read.
